A pediatrician is a physician who takes care of newborns, infants, toddlers, school-age children and teenagers. One who caters to the health needs and other important aspects in the development of the pediatric age group in a Filipino community is a Pinoy pediatrician. To be available on line and offer medical advice, accurate information and a friendly chat is the goal of Pinoy Pedia on Call.

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Friday, September 28, 2012

EXPANDED NEWBORN SCREENING

The Advisory Committee on Newborn Screening (ACNBS) has approved the inclusion of Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD) in the current newborn screening panel of disorders. This expanded newborn screening now includes six congenital disorders, instead of five diseases. The ACNBS has passed Resolution No. 2012-001 which allowed the offering of the additional test to all newborns at no additional cost. The ACNBS resolution will be fully implemented in the different areas according to this schedule: NSC-NIH, July; NSC-CL, August; NSC-Visayas, October; and NSC-Mindanao, December.

Newborn screening (NBS) is a simple procedure to find out if your baby has a congenital metabolic disorder that may lead to mental retardation and even death if left untreated. Most babies with metabolic disorders look normal at birth. One will never know that the baby has the disorder until the onset of signs and symptoms and more often ill effects are already irreversible. NBS should be done on the 24 to 72 hours after birth, except for sick and premature babies who must be screened by the 7th day of life regardless of weight and age of gestation. It is available in participating health institutions (hospitals, lying-ins, Rural Health Units and Health Centers). If babies are delivered at home, babies may be brought to the nearest institution offering NBS. The results are available within seven to fourteen ( 7 - 14) working days after the newborn screening samples are received in the NSC.

A negative screen means that the result of the test indicates extremely low risk of having any of the disorders being screened.

A positive screen means that the baby is at increased risk of having one of the disorders being screened.

Babies with positive results should be referred at once to the nearest hospital or specialist for confirmatory testing and further management. Should there be no specialist in the area, the NBS secretariat office will assist its attending physician.

The disorders tested for newborn screening are:

(1) Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH)

(2) Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH)

(3) Galactosemia (GAL)

(4) Phenylketonuria (PKU)

(5) Glucose-6-Phosphate-Dehydrogenase Deficiency (G6PD Def.)

(6) Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD)

Below is the list of the G6PD Confirmatory Centers all over the country: